As Testicular Cancer Awareness Month continues, health experts are emphasizing the importance of early detection in fighting the most common cancer affecting young men.

Although testicular cancer is relatively rare, it remains the leading cancer diagnosis among men under 45, with cases peaking in the late 20s and early 30s. Fortunately, when identified early, it is also among the most treatable forms of cancer. According to recent European data, 95% of men diagnosed before age 45 survive at least five years.

Despite these promising statistics, doctors warn that a lack of awareness and social taboos surrounding self-examinations may delay diagnoses. “There is no self-examination culture due to taboos,” said Dr. Hendrik Van Poppel, a urologist with the European Association of Urology and co-chair of the European Cancer Organisation’s inequalities network.

One in every 250 men in Europe is diagnosed with testicular cancer, but certain groups face a higher risk. Men with a family history of testicular cancer, those with HIV or fertility issues, and white men are more vulnerable. Additionally, men with cryptorchidism — a condition where the testicles fail to descend into the scrotum — are at increased risk. Between 5 to 10% of men with testicular cancer had cryptorchidism as children, though the condition can be corrected through surgery.

Van Poppel advises young men and teenage boys to perform monthly self-examinations, preferably during a warm shower or bath when the scrotum is relaxed. “Check each testicle separately for lumps or changes,” he said.

Most abnormalities found during self-exams are not cancer, but a small, painless lump should be evaluated by a doctor. Other signs include enlargement or pain in the testicle, and a scrotum that feels unusually hard, heavy, or achy. Additional symptoms, particularly if the cancer has spread, may include back or lower abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, a persistent cough, difficulty breathing or swallowing, and chest soreness.

If testicular cancer is diagnosed, treatment usually begins with surgery to remove the affected testicle. Depending on the stage of the disease, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may follow. Some patients choose to have an artificial testicle implanted for cosmetic or psychological reasons.

Fertility may be impacted by certain treatments, so men are encouraged to consider sperm banking before beginning therapy. If the cancer has metastasized, more aggressive treatments or palliative care options may be recommended to manage symptoms and prolong life.

However, experts stress that a diagnosis is not a death sentence. “Many of these guys who are discovered late, even metastatic, can be cured,” said Van Poppel. “But the main goal should be timely detection.”

With awareness and regular self-checks, early intervention remains the key to successful treatment and recovery.

The United Kingdom has reported a new case of the highly contagious mpox clade Ib strain, becoming the latest European country to document an infection amid rising global concern over the virus’s spread.

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed that the newly identified patient had not travelled recently and had no known link to previously confirmed cases, suggesting possible local transmission. Authorities have traced the individual’s close contacts, but no additional cases have been reported. Health officials say the overall public risk remains low.

The new strain, known as clade Ib, first emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2023 and has since caused thousands of infections across Central Africa, particularly in Burundi and Uganda. While two major subtypes of mpox exist, Clade I, predominant in Central Africa, is considered more severe than Clade II, which triggered a global outbreak in 2022 and remains active at low levels in parts of Europe and North America.

Clade Ib has proven particularly troubling for public health experts due to its potential for easier transmission and more severe illness, particularly among children. Mpox spreads through close skin-to-skin contact and can cause symptoms such as fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, and respiratory issues. In August 2024, the World Health Organization declared the African mpox outbreak a global public health emergency.

Following early warnings, the UK prepared for potential transmission by securing more than 150,000 doses of mpox vaccines and establishing vaccination sites across England. The country’s first clade Ib cases were reported in October 2024, involving a returning traveller who subsequently infected household members.

Elsewhere in Europe, several countries have reported cases of the clade Ib strain. Germany has confirmed eight cases to date, including household transmissions among children, while Belgium has recorded five cases since December. France reported two cases earlier this year linked to individuals returning from Central Africa.

Sweden was the first non-African country to detect the new strain, reporting a case in August 2024 involving a patient who had recently travelled to an affected area. Ireland has documented one case of the related but distinct clade Ia strain in February, involving a traveller from the DRC who was hospitalised in Dublin.

Globally, the new strain has also been identified in the United States, Canada, Brazil, China, India, Thailand, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, highlighting the virus’s increasing international footprint.

European health officials continue to monitor developments closely. While the risk to the general public remains low, experts stress the importance of preparedness, including vaccination and early detection, as the virus continues to spread beyond Africa.

A 36-year-old woman has become the first in the United Kingdom to give birth following a successful womb transplant, marking a groundbreaking moment in reproductive medicine.

Grace Davidson, diagnosed at age 19 with a rare condition that left her without a functioning uterus, was told she would never be able to carry a child. That changed in 2023 when her sister donated her uterus through a pioneering living donor programme. The transplant made Davidson the first person in the UK to undergo the procedure, and this February, she welcomed a healthy baby girl via caesarean section.

The operation and subsequent birth were supported by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and funded by the charity Womb Transplant UK. Both mother and daughter are reported to be in good health.

“Transplants are usually carried out in order to save a life,” said Dr Isabel Quiroga, a surgeon and co-lead of the Womb Transplant UK programme. “With this transplant we have been able to enhance a life, and now to create a life.”

The birth is the culmination of over 25 years of research into womb transplantation, a procedure that is still considered experimental in the UK. While more than 100 womb transplants have taken place worldwide, leading to over 50 healthy births, Davidson’s successful pregnancy is a first for the UK. The first such birth globally occurred in Sweden in 2014.

The groundbreaking procedure offers new hope to thousands of women who are unable to carry children due to congenital conditions like Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome or those who have lost their uterus due to cancer or other medical conditions. According to NHS estimates, around one in 5,000 women in the UK are born without a viable womb.

The UK’s current womb transplant programme plans to carry out five such procedures, with uterus removal (hysterectomy) scheduled once recipients have completed their families. While using a donor womb, patients must take immunosuppressive medication to prevent organ rejection.

Experts have hailed the achievement as a “milestone” but caution that long-term monitoring is necessary. “Careful consideration needs to be given to balancing the risks and benefits of this procedure,” said Dr Nicola Williams, an ethics lecturer at Lancaster University.

Legal and ethical questions have also been raised around access and funding. Laura O’Donovan, a law lecturer at the University of Sheffield, noted that the National Health Service (NHS) will need to consider whether such transplants should be publicly funded. “These are difficult decisions that NHS commissioners will need to make in the context of scarce resources,” she said.

Davidson’s success story could signal a new chapter in fertility treatment, potentially transforming options for women previously told motherhood was medically impossible.